Readings for Sunday 21 June 2026
14 Baunah 1742
Second Sunday of Baunahh
Vespers Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 16 : 7 - 8
| 7 | I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. |
| 8 | I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. |
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, unto Him be the glory forever, Amen.
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to our teacher Saint Luke the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
Luke 4 : 38 - 41
| 38 | Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon's house. But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. |
| 39 | So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them. |
| 40 | When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. |
| 41 | And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of God!" And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ. |
Glory be to God forever.
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Matins Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 34 : 1 - 2
| 1 | I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. |
| 2 | My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. |
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, unto Him be the glory forever, Amen.
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to our teacher Saint Mark the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
Mark 16 : 2 - 8
| 2 | Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. |
| 3 | And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" |
| 4 | But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away--for it was very large. |
| 5 | And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. |
| 6 | But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. |
| 7 | But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." |
| 8 | So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. |
Glory be to God forever.
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Divine Liturgy
Pauline Epistle
Paul, the servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, appointed to the Gospel of God. A reading from the Epistle of our teacher Paul to the Corinthians.
May his blessings be with us. Amen.
1 Corinthians 2 : 6 - 16
| 6 | However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. |
| 7 | But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, |
| 8 | which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. |
| 9 | But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." |
| 10 | But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. |
| 11 | For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. |
| 12 | Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. |
| 13 | These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. |
| 14 | But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. |
| 15 | But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. |
| 16 | For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen.
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Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. Peter . May his blessings be upon us. Amen.
2 Peter 1 : 1 - 8
| 1 | Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: |
| 2 | Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, |
| 3 | as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, |
| 4 | by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. |
| 5 | But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, |
| 6 | to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, |
| 7 | to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. |
| 8 | For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. |
Do not love the world or the things in the world. The world passes away, and its desires; but he who does the will of God abides forever. Amen.
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Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us. Amen.
Acts 14 : 8 - 22
| 8 | And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked. |
| 9 | This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, |
| 10 | said with a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet!" And he leaped and walked. |
| 11 | Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" |
| 12 | And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. |
| 13 | Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. |
| 14 | But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out |
| 15 | and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, |
| 16 | who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. |
| 17 | Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." |
| 18 | And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them. |
| 19 | Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. |
| 20 | However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. |
| 21 | And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, |
| 22 | strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." |
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God. Amen.
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Synaxarium
Day 14 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Baunah.
May God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins are forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers. Amen.
The Fourteenth Day of the Blessed Month of Baunah
Departure of Pope Yoannis the Nineteenth,
the 113th Patriarch of Alexandria
On this day, of the year
1658 A.M. (1942 A.D.) Pope Yoannis the Nineteenth, 113th Patriarch of Alexandria,
departed. He was born in the village of Dair Tasa, Asyiut governorate in
the year 1571 A.M. (1855 A.D.). His parents were righteous, therefore he
was raised on piety and godliness. He drank the love of virtuous life and
loved, since his young age, to read the biographies of saints. He longed
to follow their example, accordingly he went to the monastery of the Virgin
Lady known as El-Baramous in Wadi El-Natroun, in the month of Baramudah,
1591 A.M. He became a monk on the third of Kiyahk, 1592 A.M. (1876 A.D.).
Because of his fervent worship, intelligence, and intellect, the fathers
unanimously agreed to nominate him to be a priest. Pope Kyrillos the fifth,
112th Patriarch, ordained him a priest in the year 1593 A.M., then hegumen
in Baramhat, 1594 A.M., and appointed him on the same day to be the head
of the monastery. He remained the head of the monastery for ten years,
during which he was an example of, ambition, honesty, purity of conduct,
firmness, godliness, and good management. When the Chair of the diocese
of El-Biharah became vacant, the people chose Yoannis a metropolitan for
that Chair. He was ordained on the twelfth of Baramhat, 1603 A.M. (1887
A.D.) and also was appointed as a deputy of the See of St. Mark. After
the departure of Anba Yoannis, metropolitan of El-Menofaya at that time,
the people of the diocese nominated him to care for them. The diocese of
El-Menofaya was added to his duties in the year 1610 A.M. (1894 A.D.),
and he became the metropolitan of El-Biharah, El-Menofaya, and the deputy
of the See of St. Since his official seat was in Alexandria, he established
there a theological school to educate the monks. He sent from its students
a mission to Athens for higher theological studies.
The revenue of the church
properties was inconsiderable. By his good judgement, the revenue increased
year after year. Because of the highrise buildings that he built and the
renovation of the old ones. He also gave great care for the Coptic schools,
elementary and high, until their standard became equivalent to the best
schools. He built and renovated most of the churches in his parish. He
also gave special attention to the monasteries in his jurisdiction, which
were improved greatly because of his good care and close supervision. Because
of his foresight, and prudence, the government chose him as a representative
for the Copts in many councils and committees at the general assembly,
the committee for formulating the constitution and many others. He spent
forty-two years as a metropolitan, which were full of splendid works. When
the blessed Pope Kyrillos the fifth, departed, on the first of Misra, 1643
A.M. (August 7th, 1927 A.D.) the Holy Synod convened on the fourth of Misra.
They unanimously agreed to chose him Acting Pope to run the affairs of
the church until ordaining a patriarch. As a result of that, the Holy Synod
had received many nominations from the parishes approving that choice.
He performed his duties as Acting Patriarch for one year, four months,
and ten days. During this period he administered the affairs of the See
of St. Mark very well, during which also the Holy Synod, with Anba Yoannis
presiding, issued a canon to regulate the affairs of the monasteries and
the monks. He organized a committee to oversee the church properties and
those of the monasteries and to review their accounts.
From what everyone
knew of his purity, virtuous life, good character, asceticism, and piety,
they all unanimously agreed to chose him a patriarch with nominations from
the bishops, priests and lay leaders. He was enthroned a patriarch on Sunday
the seventh of Kiyahk 1645 A.M. (December 16th, 1928 A.D.) in the great
St. Mark cathedral in Cairo (Azbakiah). That took place with a great celebration
attended by the representatives of the King, princes, ministers, important
Egyptian personalities, the metropolitans of different denominations eastern
and western, and ambassadors of foreign countries. After his ordination,
Pope Yoannis directed his attention to caring for the affairs of the Coptic
People and the church. He established a higher theological institution
for the education of the monks in the city of Helwan. He ordained for the
kingdom of Ethiopia, a Coptic Metropolitan and four well-learned Ethiopian
bishops. He travelled to Ethiopia to reaffirm the unity between the Coptic
and Ethiopian churches. He stayed there for thirteen days where they received
him with great honor and respect. In Addis Ababa, he ordained the head
of the Ethiopian monks (the successor of St. Takla Haymanot) a bishop.
With the will of God, he made the Holy Oil (Myron) in the year 1648 A.M.
(1930 A.D.). The last time the oil was made was one hundred and ten years
earlier during the papacy of Pope Peter, 109th Pope of Alexandria. Pope
Yoannis made the Holy Oil a second time, specially for the kingdom of Ethiopia,
attended by Anba Kyrillos, metropolitan of Ethiopia, and Anba Peter, an
Ethiopian bishop. His contributions, too numerous to be mentioned completely,
include watching over the welfare of the church, kindness to the needy,
support for charitable organizations, moral and financial support for the
Coptic teaching institutions, and assistance on valuable projects that
financially and spiritually benefitted the Copts.
During Pope Yoannis'
papacy, a war broke out between Ethiopia and Italy, during which most of
the Ethiopian bishops died except Anba Abraam and another bishop. When
Italy occupied Ethiopia, the Emperor departed from his country. Anba Kyrillos,
the metropolitan of Ethiopia, was exiled to Egypt, for he refused to agree
with Italy on separating the Ethiopian church from the Coptic Orthodox
church. In November, 1937 A.D., the Italian governor of Ethiopia decided
the independence of the Ethiopian church and its separation from the Alexandrian
See. He appointed Anba Abraam, the Ethiopian bishop, a patriarch for Ethiopia.
Nevertheless, God punished him for his betrayal. He became blind and died
shortly after. The Alexandrian Holy Synod decided to excommunicate him,
not recognizing him nor the bishops that he ordained. This situation in
Ethiopia did not last long; during the Second World War the Emperor of
Ethiopia regained his kingdom from Italy. Anba Kyrillos returned to his
church with great honor, in May 1942 A.D. When Pope Yoannis had realized
the return of the Ethiopian church to its mother church, the Coptic Church,
he was stricken with the ailments of old age. He departed in peace on Sunday
14th of Baunah, 1658 A.M. (June 21st, 1942 A.D.)
May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Martyrdom of the Saints Apakir, John,
Ptolemy, and Philip
On this day also, Sts. Apakir, John, Ptolemy and
Philip, were martyred. St. Apakir was born in the city of Damanhur, and
had a rich brother called Philip. They had agreed with two priests, one
called John and the other called Ptolemy, to receive the crown of martyrdom.
They went to the city of Kartsa (Kartes), and confessed the name of the
Lord Christ before the Governor. The governor ordered to shoot them to
death with arrows, but the arrows did not touch them. They were then cast
into red hot fire, but the angel of the lord delivered them from it. Then
the governor commanded to tie them to the tails of horses, and to drag
them from Kartes to the city of Damanhur, but the Lord guarded them from
any harm. The governor commanded that their heads be cut off outside the
city of Damanhur. They received the crown of martyrdom. People from the
city of Sa came and took the body of St. Apakir, built for him a church,
and laid his body inside it. Many signs and wonders took place through
him. The people of Damanhur came and took the bodies of John, Ptolemy,
and Philip, wrapped them in expensive shrouds and buried them there.
May his prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
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Divine Liturgy Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 13 : 6,5
| 6 | I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. |
| 5 | But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. |
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, unto Him be the glory forever, Amen.
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to our teacher Saint Luke the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
Luke 5 : 17 - 26
| 17 | Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. |
| 18 | Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. |
| 19 | And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. |
| 20 | When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." |
| 21 | And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" |
| 22 | But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts? |
| 23 | Which is easier, to say, "Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, "Rise up and walk'? |
| 24 | But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." |
| 25 | Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. |
| 26 | And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!" |
Glory be to God forever.
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